


A Midnight Appearance

by eleuther



Series: Froger Week 2019 [3]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Aftercare, Bottom Freddie Mercury, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Soulmates, Prompt: Aftercare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 06:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21334087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eleuther/pseuds/eleuther
Summary: Roger always wondered why Freddie went out with the men he did.
Relationships: Freddie Mercury & Roger Taylor
Series: Froger Week 2019 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536286
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65
Collections: Froger!Week 2019





	A Midnight Appearance

**Author's Note:**

> Day three!! This one's a bit longer than yesterdays. This one is intended to be platonic today, but you can take it however you'd like. The responses for the past few days have been amazing, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the week!! Hope you all enjoy.

**London 1984**

Roger always wondered why Freddie went out with the men he did. 

He got the whole “I have a type” thing, and that’s fine. Just not when they treat you like shit. More than once has Freddie appeared at his home more than a little banged up, claiming things “just went south, darling, really he didn’t mean it.” 

Roger tried to keep his anger and frustration from showing, but he always shed a few tears once he got Freddie settled. 

Tonight he wasn’t at his home with his wife, but in a small apartment on the opposite side of town. He kept it for when he needed some time apart, just to think. He liked the quiet, not so much the implications (or actions, if we’re being honest. He isn’t proud of it). 

He’s sipping at a bottle of wine - not his preferred choice but it was literally the only thing in the place and he didn’t feel like going out - when there was a knock on the door. It took him a moment to register the noise. He jumped when there was another knock, this time louder. He stood slowly and walked to the door. He wasn’t totally surprised at who was waiting behind the door.

“Everything alright, Fred?” he asked as the singer pushed past him and into his apartment. 

“Thank god you’re here tonight. I wasn’t sure, but I had to try. I was just a few floors up, you see. And my date was um… a bit uh - how do you put it?” 

“Did he hurt you?” Roger wouldn’t be surprised. 

“Not - not really. Just wasn’t great at the whole ‘making sure I was okay’ part of things.”

Roger raised an eyebrow, and then really took a look at Freddie. He was speaking fine, despite the slight pauses and slurred words that he’d originally put to being drunk. And the glazed look in his eyes could be due to some sort of drug. 

“How bad was the scene, Freddie?” 

“It wasn’t _bad_, love. No, never bad, just heavy. And he fell asleep right after,” Freddie replied, blushing a bit though Roger had no idea why. 

“So you got no aftercare?” He had no idea how or why he was being so blunt about it. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to take care of Freddie for his partners, but it had been a long time since Freddie had come to him for this kind of help. 

Freddie’s blush deepened. “You don’t have to do anything. I just didn’t want to go all the way home like this. I can just stay on the couch. You don’t have to do anything.”

Just the idea that Freddie thought he’d leave him alone like this hurt Roger. He looked like the shy kid that had been afraid the first time he’d asked Roger to help.

“I’m not gonna leave you to drop in my living room, Fred. What do you need? Has anything changed since I last helped?” 

He didn’t hesitate in getting what he needed; a few towels from the linen closet, a bottle of water from the fridge. He only had a limited amount of food in the place - what? He wasn’t expecting any visitors - so he figured the crackers in the cabinet would have to do.

“I only have crackers right now, love. Will that be okay? I can always run to the store, or ask Mrs. Shirk next door. She always has chocolates on hand -”

“Crackers are fine, Rog. Really, I’ll be fine on my own. You don’t have to go to all this trouble,” Freddie said, though the tremor in his voice betrayed his words. 

Another glance at the man let Roger know he was already dropping; curling in on himself, he glanced around nervously like he was afraid to do something wrong. Not to mention he looked exhausted. 

“Freddie. I’m not leaving you alone like this. It’s not your fault that Dom had no idea what he was doing.” 

Freddie bit his lip nervously. Roger frowned; he’s never been this resistant to this.

“Darling, really, you don’t have to go through all this trouble. A shower will suffice!”

“Nonsense, Fred! I want to help you!” He paused. “Do you want my help?” 

He hadn’t even stopped to think that maybe Freddie didn’t want his help.

“I don’t want you to feel obligated,” he replied. 

“I don’t. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Freddie hesitated for another moment before nodding, refusing to meet Roger’s eyes. Roger beamed, taking his hand and pulling him towards the bathroom. 

“I really don’t have much here,” he said, a bit guilty. “But there should be some bubble bath under the sink. I’ll get it all set up for you. I can stay if you want. If not, just shout when you’re done, or come find me. We can cuddle a bit after you’ve eaten.”

Freddie just nodded, a small smile - finally - appearing on his face. Roger turned the tap on, letting it heat to a decent temperature before pouring a bit of the bubbles in. When he turned around Freddie had stripped off his shirt and began with his pants. He could see in the mirror a long, thin gash on his back.

“Freddie, what the fuck is that?” he asked, anger spiked again. 

“What?” he asked, turning his head to look in the mirror. “Oh that? It’s nothing. I think I can take it from here. I’ll find you when I’m done?” 

Roger slowly nodded. “Yeah, sure. Just um - be careful washing that, yeah? You don’t have to tell me what happened but I’d like to clean it properly after.” 

Freddie just nodded, before shooing him out of the bathroom.

Now alone again, Roger had no idea what his next step was. He spared a look around the room before running into his bedroom. 

He pulled the messily made bed together, getting some extra blankets from the hall closet. He grabbed the water and crackers from where he’d left them in the kitchen and set them on the nightstand. Glancing around his living room, he thought for a moment before grabbing his radio and dragging that into his room too. He remembers that Freddie hates the silence when he’s like this. 

“What else, what else,” he mumbled. 

It didn’t matter, because Freddie came padding into the room a moment later. He looked even more tired, but definitely relaxed. He climbed onto the bed and immediately got comfortable. As glad as Roger was that he was more willing to accept his help, Freddie couldn’t sleep yet. 

“Not yet, love. You gotta eat something,” Roger murmured. Freddie whined a bit, and he could tell the singer was somewhere between okay and not. He felt that anger surge again.

Roger wasn’t huge into the scene, but he knew enough. And he hated irresponsible Doms.

Freddie rolled over onto his stomach. The scratch on his back looks better now that it’s been cleaned, but Roger still wants to put some cream on it. 

“I’m gonna put some cream on this, alright love? Just relax a bit,” Roger said, straddling his back.

Freddie moaned as Roger began to rub the cream into his back. His muscles loosened with every touch; if Roger didn’t think he’d fall asleep he’d give Freddie a full on massage. Maybe later, he thought.

Part of Roger had missed this. When they’d lived together this was a fairly regular occurrence. More times than he could count, he’d wake up to Freddie coming in late in the night. He would let it go, knowing he wouldn’t want someone fawning over him at three in the morning. But every time, the next day was hell for Freddie. A naturally shy and insecure person on a normal day, he became withdrawn and terrified of saying a word of disagreement. Roger was glad the first time he approached him. 

Now that they were famous, living in separate homes with their own families, he didn’t get this opportunity. He didn’t get to be his protector anymore. 

Roger finished lathering the cream on the cut, and then put a plaster on it. He climbed off of Freddie, glancing down to see his eyes closed. 

“C’mon, love. Just eat a few crackers and then you can rest.”

Freddie barely stirred, but smiled when he cracked his eyes open and saw Roger. He slowly sat up, letting Roger guide him against the headboard. The blonde fed him a few crackers which made him feel a bit better, having something in him. The water felt good, too, on his admittedly sore throat. Freddie managed to completely relax into Roger’s chest as he ate and drank. He was very glad he’d come here. 

“Let’s lay down, love.” 

Freddie nodded and let himself be guided down again. Roger tucked the blanket around him before quickly turning the radio on quiet. And old jazz tune was playing quietly. 

Roger settled quietly on the bed next to Freddie, content on watching him rest. Instead, Freddie grabbed onto his arm, successfully pulling the blonde down next to him, cuddling into his chest a moment later. 

Roger relaxed as well, closing his eyes. He heard Freddie mumble a quiet “thank you” before his breathing evened out. Roger just smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> please leave comments and kudos i need validation !!!


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